Increased platelet?alpha 2B -adrenergic receptor gene expression in well-controlled hypertensives: the effect of arterial stiffness

摘要

Abstract Catecholamines play a major role in atherothrombotic mechanisms in essential hypertension. Alpha 2B -adrenergic receptors (?B-ARs) are implicated in the pathophysiology of platelet aggregation. In this study, we evaluated platelet ?B-AR gene expression levels in patients with well-controlled essential hypertension compared with normal individuals and investigated their association with increased arterial stiffness. Fifty-nine patients with well-controlled essential hypertension (34 men, mean age 65牨?爕ears) and 26 normotensives (19 men, mean age 64牨?爕ears) were included in the study. For each patient, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid-radial PWV were evaluated. In addition, blood samples were obtained and platelets were isolated. The ?B-AR gene expression levels in platelets were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction for each participant. Well-controlled hypertensive patients showed significantly higher gene expression levels of ?B-Rs in platelets compared with normotensives (34.7牨?9.5 vs 17.6牨?2.5, respectively, P ??005). Interestingly, we found that carotid-femoral PWV and carotid-radial PWV were positively correlated with platelet ?B-R gene expression levels (r??.59, P ?P ??002, respectively).Platelet ?B-R gene expression levels are increased in patients with well-controlled essential hypertension compared with normotensives and are correlated with increased PWV in those patients. Our data indicate an association of arterial stiffness and platelet ?B-Rs gene expression and indicate the need for further research. Graphical abstract Display Omitted Highlights " Platelet ?B-R gene expression levels are increased in patients with well-controlled essential hypertension compared with normotensives. " Platelet ?B-AR gene expression levels in hypertensive patients show a significant correlation with arterial stiffness.